Achraf Hakimi
A blistering full-back who redefined his position with explosive speed and a lethal attacking threat from the flank.
Born 1998 (age 28)·Morocco international footballer·Birthday: November 4·Generation Z
Biography
Achraf Hakimi scored a cool penalty in the 2022 World Cup shootout against Spain, sending Morocco to the semifinals — the first African nation ever to reach that stage. Born in Madrid to Moroccan parents, he entered Real Madrid's youth academy but found his path to the first team blocked. A loan to Borussia Dortmund unleashed his raw pace and overlapping runs; he racked up goals and assists from right back, playing more like a winger. At Inter Milan under Antonio Conte, he mastered the wing-back role and became pivotal in the 2021 Serie A title. His high-profile transfer to Paris Saint-Germain followed. But his deepest impact came with the Atlas Lions, where he led as captain and delivered that historic penalty. Hakimi's career spans four clubs, two league titles, and a World Cup run that changed expectations for African football.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Achraf was born in 1998, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Achraf Was Born
The biggest hits of 1998
#1 Movie
Saving Private Ryan
Best Picture
Shakespeare in Love
#1 TV Show
Seinfeld
Achraf's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1998Born
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2003Started school
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2011Became a teenager
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2014Could drive
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2016Could vote
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2019Turned 21
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 28 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Serie A title with Inter Milan in 2021, playing a key role as a wing-back.
- Became the first African and Moroccan player to be named to the FIFA FIFPro World11 in 2022.
- Scored the decisive penalty to send Morocco to the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals, a first for an Arab nation.
- Held the record for the most assists by a defender in a single Bundesliga season (10) while at Borussia Dortmund.
Did You Know?
He is fluent in Spanish, Arabic, French, and English.
His mother was a cleaner and his father a street vendor when they first moved to Spain.
He played for Real Madrid's first team only 17 times before being sold, a decision the club later reportedly regretted.
He is known for his distinctive goal celebration, pointing to the sky with both index fingers.
“I carry Morocco in my heart. When I play for the national team, I play for every kid dreaming in the streets of Casablanca or Tangier.”
